The explosion of a volcano in Tonga this weekend prompted an oil spill at a refinery in Peru, which the Peruvian government described as a “ecological tragedy” (Jan 19).
According to the foreign ministry, the oil spill endangered animal and plant life in protected zones covering nearly 18,000 square kilometers around islands and fishing areas.
After a catastrophic undersea volcanic explosion in Tonga, nearly 10,000 kilometers offshore, generated tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean, the spill from a tanker discharging crude at Repsol’s La Pampilla refinery was blamed on exceptionally big waves.
Repsol was ordered by the ministry to compensate for the event.
“This is the worst ecological disaster that has occurred around Lima in recent times and has seriously damaged hundreds of fishermen’s families. Repsol must immediately compensate for the damage “According to the ministry’s Twitter account.
Due to the event, Peruvian authorities initiated an inquiry against a Repsol unit.
According to the corporation, roughly 6,000 barrels of oil were leaked, according to Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez, who met with Repsol officials.
In a statement, Peru’s Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining (Osinergmin) stated one of the refinery’s four terminals has been ordered to be shut down until the cause of the spill is discovered.
La Pampilla is Peru’s largest refinery, supplying almost half of the country’s fuel.